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Levski Sofia — RB Salzburg, UEFA Europa League

UEFA Europa League
Levski Sofia W30 Aug · Away Botev Plovdiv · 3:1W2 Sep · Away Slavia Sofia · 2:1W5 Sep · Home CSKA 1948 · 1:0L9 Sep · Home CSKA Sofia · 2:4D13 Sep · Away Botev Vratsa · 0:0L17 Sep · Home RB Salzburg · 0:1
0:1
Finished

Kick-off was BST

RB Salzburg W30 Aug · Home Austria Wien · 4:1W2 Sep · Home Rapid Wien · 5:1W6 Sep · Away SKN St. Pölten · 3:0D11 Sep · Away Ried · 1:1W17 Sep · Away Levski Sofia · 1:0W20 Sep · Home Sturm Graz · 3:0
Venue: Vasil Levski National Stadium City: Sofia

In the UEFA Europa League game on 17 September 2026, RB Salzburg beat Levski Sofia 0:1. Match numbers: shots on target 0:7, corners 5:4.

Match report

RB Salzburg secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Levski Sofia at the Vasil Levski National Stadium on Wednesday evening. The result came in the opening match of the UEFA Europa League's new League Stage format. Haris Tabaković struck in the 39th minute to provide the decisive moment.

And here's the thing about that goal — Salzburg created something meaningful from their first real opportunity. The visitors had been probing since the opening whistle, but it was the half-hour mark when they finally broke through. Levski's defence, which had looked organized, couldn't recover after that breakthrough.

To be fair, both sides shared possession evenly at 50 percent, but the quality of chances told a different story. Salzburg registered seven shots on target with 58 percent accuracy, while Levski managed none from their six attempts off target. The hosts created just one big chance compared to four for the visitors, and their expected goals figure of 1.01 sat below Salzburg's 1.39.

The match grew increasingly physical as it progressed. Six yellow cards were shown in total, with referee's attention focused on the midfield battle. Álex Centelles was substituted in the 58th minute after picking up a booking, while Salzburg brought on Yorbe Vertessen after his yellow in the 65th minute. Eight substitutions were made in the second half alone as both managers sought to change the tempo.

By then, the result had set the tone for this new format. Both teams entered the table with zero games played and zero points, so this opening day result establishes the first standings position. Salzburg take all three points to 26th place, while Levski remain in 20th after their first defeat of the season.

Prepared from match data

Video

Match highlights Levski Sofia — RB Salzburg FC Red Bull Salzburg

Key numbers

Possession, % 50 – 50
Shots on target 0 – 7
Shots off target 6 – 3
Expected goals 1.01 – 1.39

Match events

  1. 39' 0:1 RB Salzburg Goal Haris Tabaković
  2. 41' 0:1 RB Salzburg Yellow card Sota Kitano
  3. 55' 0:1 Levski Sofia Yellow card Álex Centelles
  4. 56' 0:1 RB Salzburg Yellow card Haris Tabaković
  5. 58' 0:1 Levski Sofia Substitution Álex Centelles off: David Kusso
  6. 60' 0:1 RB Salzburg Yellow card Bartosz Mazurek
  7. 63' 0:1 RB Salzburg Substitution Sota Kitano off: Damir Redzic
  8. 65' 0:1 RB Salzburg Yellow card Yorbe Vertessen
  9. 69' 0:1 RB Salzburg Substitution Yorbe Vertessen off: Karim Konate
  10. 76' 0:1 Levski Sofia Substitution Reinaldo Nascimento Satorno off: Juan Esteban Perea Sanchez
  11. 77' 0:1 Levski Sofia Substitution Armstrong Oko-Flex off: Mazire Soula
  12. 88' 0:1 Levski Sofia Substitution Francisco Everton Mota de Castro off: Steven Stoyanchov
  13. 88' 0:1 Levski Sofia Substitution Christian Makoun off: Asen Mitkov
  14. 89' 0:1 RB Salzburg Substitution Edmund Baidoo off: Frans Kratzig
  15. 90+3' 0:1 RB Salzburg Yellow card Abubakr Barry

Statistics

50 Possession, % 50
0 Shots on target 7
6 Shots off target 3
1.01 Expected goals 1.39
1 Big chances 4
90 Attacks 93
5 Corners 4
9 Fouls 21
19 Free kicks 9
0 Offsides 0
1 Yellow cards 5
0 Red cards 0
7 Goal kicks 8
20 Throw-ins 17
All statistics
12/1963% Aerial duels 7/1937%
81 Backward passes 81
8 Blocked shots 2
24 Clearances 18
5/2223% Crosses 2/1613%
6/1638% Dribbles 7/1644%
0.88 Expected assists 0.27
62 Failed passes 65
6 Goalkeeper saves 0
11 Interceptions 7
11 Key passes 6
30/5852% Long passes 18/4045%
75 Passes into the final third 50
205 Passes in the opposition half 209
276 Passes in own half 276
0 Shot accuracy 0.58
5 Shots from outside the box 3
9 Shots inside the box 9
9/1369% Tackles 13/1872%
459 Total passes 469

Line-ups

Levski Sofia

Starting XI
# Player number
92 Svetoslav Vutsov 92
3 Maicon 3
4 Christian Frederick Bayoi Makoun Reyes 4
50 Kristian Traychev Dimitrov 50
7 Reinaldo 7
11 Armstrong Inya Echezolachuku Oko-Flex 11
18 Gašper Trdin 18
20 Alejandro Centelles Plaza 20
21 Aldair 21
35 Serginho 35
17 Everton Bala 17
Substitutes
# Player number
1 Ognian Vladimirov 1
78 Martin Lukov 78
2 Hevertton Ciriaco Santos 2
8 Marko Grujić 8
10 Asen Ivanov Mitkov 10
9 Juan Esteban Perea Sanchez 9
22 Mazire Soula 22
27 D. Couso 27
28 Steven Stoyanchev 28
Show full squad

RB Salzburg

Starting XI
# Player number
52 Kristian Zaviesshitcki 52
18 Nikolas Konrad Veratschnig 18
21 Tim Drexler 21
31 Dominik Schmid 31
44 Kévin Boma 44
8 Sota Kitano 8
11 Yorbe Vertessen 11
15 Bartosz Mazurek 15
20 E. Badu 20
32 Abubakr Barry 32
9 Haris Tabaković 9
Substitutes
# Player number
1 Christian Früchtl 1
41 Nikola Sarcevic 41
4 John Mellberg 4
13 Frans Krätzig 13
22 Stefan Lainer 22
39 Leandro Morgalla 39
7 Umut Deger Tohumcu 7
33 Abubakar Kamara 33
35 Jesper Grænge Lindstrøm 35
19 Karim Konaté 19
23 Damir Redzic 23
43 Enrique Aguilar 43
Show full squad

Match prediction: Levski Sofia — RB Salzburg

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Levski Sofia

W30 Aug · Away Botev Plovdiv · 3:1W2 Sep · Away Slavia Sofia · 2:1W5 Sep · Home CSKA 1948 · 1:0L9 Sep · Home CSKA Sofia · 2:4D13 Sep · Away Botev Vratsa · 0:0L17 Sep · Home RB Salzburg · 0:1

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RB Salzburg

W30 Aug · Home Austria Wien · 4:1W2 Sep · Home Rapid Wien · 5:1W6 Sep · Away SKN St. Pölten · 3:0D11 Sep · Away Ried · 1:1W17 Sep · Away Levski Sofia · 1:0W20 Sep · Home Sturm Graz · 3:0

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